Sugarland Express - Highway Patrolman?

[Whitens Moss]

Spielberg's first movie, Sugarland Express, with Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson and some other good actors, was on the other night. Goldie breaks her hubby out of jail, then they kidnap a Texas ranger and hold him at bay with his revolver, which looks like a Highway Patrolman (S&W 28). Was it? A long caravan of squad cars chases them through Texas and they finally wind up in Sugarland to try to recover their baby only to be foiled by the cops.

Pretty good flick but what gets me is that there were several moments, especially when the bad guy is napping in the front seat next to the kidnapped cop and Goldie's eating in the back, when the Ranger could have easily grabbed his gun back. Instead, he does nothing. This was all based loosely on a true story. Also, a couple of sniper cops had a chance to take out the kidnappers but wait till the end and then they miss badly from about 50 yards.

One of the snipers earlier bragged that he could hit a dime from 300 yards.

Anyone else find this all pretty unrealistic, especially a big shootout in a car lot in which nobody even gets a scratch?

 

[brucev]

Low production values. Typical of that breed of film.

 

[lawandorder]

The character they kidnapped was a Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrolman not a Ranger.

Lots of Hollywood goofs.

Based of a true story;

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/cour...cle_4d92a2f8-45bf-5be9-93a2-54aaeacb6077.html


Yes it was a model 28.

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Sugarland_Express,_The

 

[george minze]

Actually all of the basic story happened and on national TV...I remember seeing that line of police cars in the low speed chase. Of course the actual story was not as made for TV as the movie made out. Remember the time....Quite the TV story I remember watching the news and marveling about the long string of police cars following the suspect vehicle.

 

[L Pete]

The character they kidnapped was a Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrolman not a Ranger.

Lots of Hollywood goofs.

Based of a true story;

The real story behind ?The Sugarland Express? - Your Houston News: Opinion

What he said,.......he was a Trooper, not a Ranger.

 

[sophie]

Well I watched it last night for the first time I believe and the gun looked like a M28 Highway Patrol to me.

 

[L Pete]

That was what was mostly issued in those days. I did see the training staff at headquarters carry Colt Pythons, and I've seen D-L Troopers carrying Colt Troopers, but they were far and few between. Every Highway Patrolman I saw was carrying a M-28, with the exception of one of their first female Troopers whom was carrying the Colt Trooper.

 

[MK]

Some aspects are typical Hollywood, but as far as the DPS and such, it
was actually pretty realistic. IE: the uniforms, cars, and even the basic
radio chatter were correct for the Texas DPS at that time.

Judging from a few screen shots I think it is a M-28.